NOVEL NEXT Chapter 171
Chapter 171: An Unexpected Ally
“Welcome, though it’s quite shabby here, Sage.”
Si-hyun said as he opened the front door.
I was truly surprised when I first met To-ya.
I never imagined I’d see her again, let alone at the External Gate of the Detention Center.
Thankfully, there was no one else around.
Otherwise, everyone would have heard her call me Sword Master.
“Thank you, Sword Master.”
To-ya gave a small bow.
Si-hyun had her sit on the sofa.
“Would you like something cool to drink?”
“Water.”
“Got it, I’ll get it right away.”
Si-hyun pulled a bottle of water from the fridge and poured it into a cup. He then sat across from To-ya, handing her the drink.
To-ya sat on the sofa while Si-hyun sat on the floor, but the height difference made it feel balanced.
To-ya began sipping her water.
Si-hyun waited for her to finish before speaking.
“By the way, why did you come alone? Where’s William?”
It was a question he had asked earlier.
Back then, To-ya mentioned that she would tell him in a quieter place.
So, he had brought her to his home.
To-ya stared into space for a moment without answering.
Finally, she quietly spoke.
“…Uncle is dead.”
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“That kind of thing…”
Si-hyun looked quite shocked after hearing To-ya’s story.
William had been like a benefactor to him.
Even without William, the Human Butcher might have been overconfident and retreated.
However, if that had happened, revenge against the Human Butcher and the Face-avoidance Technician for the brutal murders of his acquaintances would not have been possible.
It was only because William appeared that it became feasible.
And now, hearing that he was dead…
Si-hyun had seen with his own eyes how strong William was.
So, it was all the more unbelievable.
“…The Emperor was such a strong figure.”
“Sword Master, do you not remember fully yet?”
To-ya asked upon hearing Si-hyun’s mumbling.
Previously, To-ya had said she wasn’t fully awakened yet and her memory wasn’t complete.
That was when he had no choice but to say that.
But now, it seemed necessary to sort things out a bit.
To-ya had believed him to be the Sword Master and had come all this way alone with her childlike body, spilling everything out.
It was weighing heavily on Si-hyun’s heart to keep lying to her.
Of course, they had only met twice, so he didn’t know her well.
Yet, after spending a fair amount of time as a correctional officer, Si-hyun trusted his instincts.
In her eyes, he felt none of the corrupt impurity that a human who had been in society might carry.
They were pure and clear.
Even if someone with such eyes heard about his true identity, he couldn’t imagine that they would seek personal gain from it.
“Sage.”
Having gathered his thoughts, Si-hyun called to To-ya.
“Yeah?”
“Actually, I’m not the Sword Master.”
After leading with that, Si-hyun revealed that he was Po-ahim.
Hearing Si-hyun’s story, To-ya seemed more shocked than he expected.
She bowed her head and pressed her lips tight for a while.
Si-hyun quietly waited for her to speak first.
After some time, her lips finally moved.
“…Sword Master, no, Guard. Are you strong?”
“Um.”
It was a difficult question to answer definitively, so Si-hyun contemplated for a moment.
In the end, he opted for an ambiguous reply.
“Against ordinary people, I’m just so-so, but I am strong against inmates. Still, if I pull out a hidden technique, I could handle an S-Class with no problem. Something like that.”
“…You’re strong against inmates, so you really are a guard.”
To-ya raised her head.
The initial shock seemed to have faded a bit from her expression.
She continued speaking.
“I guess you wouldn’t stand a chance against the Emperor.”
“Honestly, I’d probably just end up heading to the otherworld.”
Si-hyun honestly replied.
To-ya blinked her small eyes.
“I see. You’re in danger, Guard.”
“Huh?”
“I told you earlier, didn’t I? The Emperor seems to be targeting a man who is a Predator.”
“Right. But this Predator guy is in the Ganghwa Island Special Detention Center?”
“They definitely said that.”
To-ya emphasized her point, clearly having heard it distinctly.
“Um…”
Si-hyun rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought.
It had already been several years since he started working at the Ganghwa Island Special Detention Center.
He was familiar with nearly all the inmates.
Yet, he couldn’t recall a single inmate that came to mind related to a Predator.
‘Wait… could it be?’
As Si-hyun recalled inmates, a thought suddenly struck him.
There was a building in the Special Detention Center that was completely isolated from the wards.
That building was not just built randomly.
Everyone knew it had been heavily fortified with a special security system using vast government funds.
And that building was off-limits even to correctional officers.
Even Si-hyun, the Section Chief, had never entered that place.
Probably, the Security Department Head and the Warden had never been inside either.
Word was that only two special representatives dispatched by the Hunter Association could enter.
And it was rumored that they were A-rank Hunters.
This meant A-rank Hunters personally handled the meals for the inmates inside.
It was simply incomprehensible for such rare A-rank Hunters from the Association to be directly managing inmates.
But conversely, it implied that those people were exceedingly dangerous and needed close observation.
Especially from the perspective of the Hunter Association.
It was justifiable for that reason.
The inmate being housed in that building had murdered 14 Awakened Beings—an Awakened serial killer named Choi Gang-hyuk.
If he were to escape, it was a given that countless Awakened Beings would lose their lives.
That was why two A-rank Hunters were assigned to him, and the government approved such special management.
And their sole priority was that mission.
So, when the Ganghwa Island Disaster occurred, instead of going out to help people, they chose to staunchly guard the building where Choi Gang-hyuk was located.
Although he later heard that the entrance was so sturdy that even Orcs banging on it with weapons made no difference.
‘Choi Gang-hyuk.’
Si-hyun silently muttered the name of the worst murderer in his heart.
It seemed he was indeed the inmate related to the Predator the Emperor mentioned.
That feeling was telling him so.
‘Predator, Predator…’
It felt like I had heard that phrase somewhere.
As he furrowed his brows in thought, a sudden memory flashed through his mind.
The Form Manipulator.
He remembered that Cheonbyeon was a Form Manipulator.
Cheonbyeon, the Form Manipulator, had the ability to consume the appearance of the women he had killed, allowing him to freely change his face and body.
If that were the case…
‘Could it be…?’
Si-hyun adjusted his posture and widened his eyes.
Choi Gang-hyuk specifically targeted Awakened Beings for extermination.
That meant there was likely something to gain from killing Awakened Beings.
No, he was certain that was the case.
Only, until now, he couldn’t figure out what that was, hence his motivation had remained a mystery.
He was not just a crazed murderer.
He was committing murders with thorough calculations, for there was something he could definitely gain.
“I have a hunch about someone.”
Si-hyun looked at To-ya and said.
“Really?”
“Yeah, it seems like that crazy murderer named Choi Gang-hyuk. And if I’m right, that guy might strengthen himself the more Awakened Beings he kills.”
“Definitely… someone like that could surely be of use to the Emperor.”
To-ya said, biting her lip slightly.
“So, you’re saying the Emperor will make a move to break him out?”
Si-hyun asked again to confirm.
“Yes, and Guard, you are in great danger.”
“I certainly know it’s dangerous, but…”
To-ya raised her small hand and interrupted Si-hyun’s words, then spoke in a serious tone.
“The Emperor knows you as the Sword Master. That’s why he instructed his subordinates to hold off for now. But he shows no signs of giving up. This means, when the Emperor plans to orchestrate the Predator’s breakout, he will view the Sword Master as an enemy and formulate a plan against you.”
“…”
“I heard that the Sword Master is among the Top Ten on the continent. If someone like that is in a Detention Center and they plan a breakout, you can imagine how tremendous their forces will be.”
“…That does seem risky.”
Si-hyun nodded heavily.
He had clearly experienced how strong the Sword Master was in the United States.
He could easily take the lives of four S-Class beings.
If they were to plan an operation against someone knowing that the Sword Master was there, it was unimaginable what kind of monsters they’d send.
“Of course, it doesn’t seem like they will come soon. But it’s necessary to prepare for it, Guard.”
“Indeed, I suppose so. Thank you for sharing such important information, Sage.”
Si-hyun expressed his gratitude.
If she hadn’t told him, he would have walked into danger without knowing anything.
“I’ll help too, Guard.”
“Huh?”
To-ya’s words made Si-hyun look puzzled.
“Even if I can’t take revenge right away, I’ll mess everything up for the Emperor. That way, his forces will weaken. Then, maybe one day, the opportunity for revenge will arise.”
To-ya spoke with cold, resolute eyes.
Only then did Si-hyun realize that the girl before him was indeed a Sage.
She was not just a fragile, ordinary girl.
Even so, receiving help from such a young girl felt a bit concerning.
“No, it might end up being extremely dangerous…”
“I’m not afraid of danger at all. If I were, I wouldn’t have been able to follow Uncle and deal with the villains.”
“…”
Si-hyun was at a loss for words.
It was an unarguable point.
Certainly, if she were the kind of typical person who feared death, she would never have followed William on such perilous adventures.
“Sages are rare. I’m a huge help.”
To-ya spoke with pride, lifting her chin.
Seeing that cute expression made Si-hyun unintentionally chuckle.
“So you better appreciate it, Guard.”
“Thank you. I really do appreciate your intentions, but…”
Si-hyun looked at To-ya awkwardly.
Even so, sending such a girl into danger weighed heavily on his mind.
Having run around dangerous places with such a girl, he was genuinely curious about what kind of nerves William must have.
“Don’t worry, Guard. I don’t have combat strength. I’ll just provide support from the rear.”
“Uh-huh…”
Looking at To-ya, it seemed she had no intention of simply acquiescing and turning around.
She likely wouldn’t return to Mongolia and instead hover around him.
Si-hyun begrudgingly nodded, realizing he had no choice.
It seemed better to provide help than to leave this girl alone in a foreign land with no connections.
“Count on me, Guard.”
When Si-hyun nodded, To-ya eagerly extended her small hand.
“Uh… okay.”
As Si-hyun chuckled, he took To-ya’s hand.
In that moment, he unexpectedly gained an ally he had never anticipated.